LIVE at Shoptalk Spring: Retail Media Confessions, Hype Cycles, and the Creator Reckoning

At Shoptalk Spring 2026, Philip and Alicia of Future Commerce host a live episode from the show floor, introducing their new book *Strata* and diving into the tensions shaping retail media today. The conversation centers on the debate around agentic commerce, where Andrew Lipsman argues against the idea that AI-driven shopping will siphon all traffic from retail sites—citing data showing no decline in traffic despite rising Gen AI referrals. Leah Logan counters with a focus on the underutilized potential of creators in retail media, emphasizing that creator content is high-quality media that can be measured, optimized, and integrated across channels like in-store, CTV, and e-commerce sites. The hosts critique the industry’s obsession with hype cycles, calling for more skepticism, historical reflection, and consumer-centric thinking. They highlight the need to move beyond superficial trends like the metaverse and instead invest in proven, data-driven strategies—especially in creator integration and omnichannel content. The episode closes with a call for the retail media industry to stop pretending that CPMs reflect true value and instead embrace incrementality and long-term investment thinking.